How a rainbow forms
In short: Raindrops refract, reflect and spread sunlight into its colours, opposite the Sun.
1. Sunlight is a mix of colours that together look white. 2. Light is refracted as it enters a raindrop. 3. Different colours bend by different amounts, so they spread apart. 4. The light is reflected inside the drop and refracted again as it leaves. 5. The colours reach you from the sky directly opposite the Sun.
Sources: Wikipedia, “Dispersion (optics) (Wikipedia)” (CC BY-SA 4.0); Wikipedia, “Rainbow (Wikipedia)” (CC BY-SA 4.0). Illustrative, not to scale.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Dispersion (optics)
- Also: Rainbow
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/how-a-rainbow-forms.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Science · Latest · A–Z · All topics
